Terrence W. Dwyer, president of Costa Mesa's Segerstrom Center for the Arts, isn't famous for his effusive outbursts. Buttoned down and perennially cool, he could easily be mistaken for a bank branch manager instead of the man who runs Orange County's premiere performing arts complex.

But Dwyer didn't mince his words about parts of the Segerstrom Center's 2013-14 season, announced today.

"These are all home runs," Dwyer said of the star-filled line-up for the upcoming cabaret series, which was unveiled along with bookings for dance, Broadway, jazz, classical music and children's shows. "I can't think of a year when we've had stronger offerings across the board."

It's also a year of added risks. Dwyer continues to explore producing possibilities for the Segerstrom Center, which traditionally has only presented work produced by others, as most regional performing arts centers do.

One of the highlights of the season will be the world premiere of "Diana Vishneva: On the Edge," co-produced by the Segerstrom Center and its frequent collaborator, New York's Ardani Artists. The famous ballet star will perform a program of new choreography created exclusively for her. Vishneva's costumes will be designed by Karl Lagerfeld.

Another coup for the dance season will be American Ballet Theatre principal dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in an evening of intimate bravura dance: The Kingdom of the Shades scene from Petipa's "La Bayadère," Roland Petit's iconic male solo "Le Jeune Homme et la mort" and a world premiere choreographed by ABT's Marcelo Gomes.

The three Russians are familiar faces at the Segerstrom Center; all have appeared there in recent seasons. So have the two companies on the ballet season, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Many of the musicals announced for 2013-14 have been seen in Costa Mesa before too, some of them more than once: "Disney's Beauty and the Beast," "Jersey Boys," "Mamma Mia!" But the Broadway season also contains some first-time visits by popular shows, many of them recent Broadway successes: "The Book of Mormon," "Once," Andrew Lloyd Webber's version of "The Wizard of Oz."

"I'm proud of the eclecticism of it," Dwyer said of the Segerstom Center's big and varied season of musicals.

Dwyer is aware that "The Book of Mormon," with its controversial treatment of religion, foul language and naughty situations, could turn off traditional Broadway fans. Some envelope-pushing Broadway hits such as "Urinetown" have fared poorly at the Segerstrom Center in the past.

"We thought about the fact that it's an adventurous musical," Dwyer said. "But there was no question that we were going to bring it here. It's important that we give our audiences the widest range of options possible."

Meredith Blair, president of The Booking Group, one of nation's biggest bookers of touring Broadway shows, said that "Book of Mormon" is doing well even in traditionally conservative markets. "It's by far the most popular touring musical out there. It's a phenomenon. It has broken box office records in every city we've played."

Dwyer acknowledged that his organization hasn't programmed any long-running summer Broadway blockbusters or tent shows as it did in recent years – productions such as "The Phantom of the Opera" or Teatro ZinZanni's "Love, Chaos & Dinner" that can mean the difference between a good season and a great one.

But Dwyer said his organization is recovering nicely from its recession lows. And based on nationwide trends, Broadway musicals, always the backbone of the Segerstrom's earned income, are surging in popularity.

"Over the last two seasons we have seen double-digit increases each year in subscription-based growth for touring Broadway shows," said Lauren Reid, president of Broadway Across America, the biggest musical-theater touring organization in the U.S. and Canada. "We seem to be finding our way back to a strong and vibrant period."

A scene from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Wizard of Oz." PHOTO BY CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Ailey's "Night Creature." GERT KRAUTBAUER
Terra C. MacLeod in "Cellblock Solo" from Kander and Ebb's "Chicago." COURTESY SCFTA
The Divine Dokees are part of the Segerstrom Center's large and varied children's series. COURTESY SCFTA
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Evita" is part of the Segerstrom Center's 2013-14 season. PHOTO BY RICHARD TERMINE
"Fluff," part of the childrens series. The Gingham family is very concerned for all the lost and discarded hand-made toys in the world and travels the world to find them. They bring them to their colorful home and welcome them to the family. Each toy is introduced one-by-one, and after seeing a slide show of how they came to be lost, they are given a vocal sound, a movement, a piece of music, a night-light ... and a nice comfy bed. COURTESY SCFTA
"Intergalactic Nemesis" is one of the childrens series offerings in the Segerstrom Center's 2013-14 season. PHOTO BY SARAH BORK HAMILTON
Ivan Vasiliev in "Le Jeune Homme et La Mort." It's a ballet by Roland Petit, choreographed in 1946 to Bach's Passacaglia in C Minor, and will be presented as part of the Segerstrom Center's 2013-14 season. PHOTO BY DAMIR YUSUPOV
ABT stars Ivan Vasiliev and Natalia Osipova will appear together next season at the Segerstrom Center. PHOTO COURTESY SCFTA
Brandon Andrus, Brad Weinstock, Jason Kappus and Colby in the national touring production of "Jersey Boys." JOAN MARCUS
"The Little Prince" will be part of the Segerstrom Center's 2013-14 seaosn. The story by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is one of the most beloved books of all time. In association with Emmy Award-winning puppet designer Michael Schupbach and Monkey Boys Productions, this beautiful new production uses inventive puppets, live actors and original music. PHOTO COURTESY SCFTA
Russian ballet superstar Natalia Osipova will return next season to the Segerstrom Center. PHOTO BY D. YUSUPOV
Bryan West as Felicia atop “Priscilla” (bus) in "Priscilla Queen of the Desert," coming to Costa Mesa next season. PHOTO COURTESY SCFTA
Ailey members Jermaine Terry, Alicia Graf Mack and Yannick Lebrun will be seen when the popular company returns to the Segerstrom Center next season. PHOTO COURTESY SCFTA
Wade McCollum, Scott Willis, Bryan West and Company in a scene from "Priscilla Queen of the Desert." PHOTO COURTESY SCFTA
A scene from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Wizard of Oz.: PHOTO BY CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN
Ivan Vasiliev in "Le Jeune Homme et La Mort." It's a ballet by Roland Petit, choreographed in 1946 to Bach's Passacaglia in C Minor, and will be presented as part of the Segerstrom Center's 2013-14 season. DAMIR YUSUPOV
Another scene from the current touring production of "Chicago." COURTESY SCFTA

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